The invention herein pertains to an energy absorbing system used as a vehicle crash barrier, lane barricade or lane divider and particularly pertains to an energy absorbing system for attachment to a rigid racetrack wall.
In recent years all forms of vehicle racing have become increasing popular and speeds have increased in many events to over 200 miles per hour (321.8 k/h). To protect the large audiences which now attend the races, track owners have installed rigid perimeter walls, barriers and the like, usually formed of concrete reinforced with steel. While such measures have provided protection for spectators, increasing numbers of race car drivers have been seriously injured or killed as their vehicles impact the rigid walls even with various types of standard crash barriers being utilized. Conventional crash barriers include stacks of vehicle tires, compression guardrails; plastic, liquid or sand filled barrels or the like. While all of these prior devices are beneficial in certain circumstances, most are difficult to install and maintain and a satisfactory system for preventing serious injury to race car drivers traveling at high speeds is still needed which is practical, safe and easily maintainable.
Thus, with the known problems and disadvantages of present crash safety methods and devices, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide an energy absorbing system for attachment to a rigid racetrack wall or other support to more safely dissipate the energy generated during vehicle crashes for driver protection.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an energy absorbing system having a plurality of energy absorbing units which includes a hinged plate having a cushion attached with adhesive.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an energy absorbing system which can be easily installed on existing racetrack and other rigid walls or supports.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an energy absorbing system which utilizes collapsible cushions formed with a tough, durable outer skin or casing and a less dense inner filler.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an energy absorbing system in which energy absorbing units are individually attached to the wall in an angular, overlapping fashion.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an energy absorbing system formed from a plurality of energy absorbing units having a rigid front plate formed from steel and a cushion formed from a polymeric material attached to the rear surface of the plate.
It is still a further objective of the present invention to provide a method of safely dissipating energy such as caused by a vehicle striking a wall utilizing the energy absorbing system described herein.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description is set forth below.
The aforesaid and other objectives are realized by providing an energy absorbing system and method of use including a plurality of energy absorbing units which are each angularly, pivotally affixed to a rigid support structure such as a racetrack wall. Each energy absorbing unit includes a rigid front plate formed from steel and a cushion affixed to the rear surface thereof. The cushion is formed from a polymeric material having a casing to prevent excessive shard dispersion of the less dense inner polymeric filler as a result of an impact thereto. The energy absorbing units are positioned in somewhat of an overlapping fashion along the inside of the racetrack wall whereby when struck by a vehicle, the energy absorbing units collapse towards the wall, striking successive units which dissipate the energy created to thereby lessen the danger of serious injury to the vehicle driver.